2019 World Food Safety Day: Food Must Be Safe, Nutritious- Abdullahi

ABUJA – In order to avoid mild discomforts, rapid hospitalisation and eventual death, the Federal Government on Friday, said that the food we eat must be safe, wholesome and nutritious.

The Minister of Health and the Permanent Secretary, Mashi Abdullahi made this known while speaking at the 2019 World Food Safety Day with the theme Food Safety, everyone’s business stated that, high-risk foods such as ready-to-eat foods, foods of animal origin and spices can contain harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances, due to unsafe food handling practices.

According to him, “Food is an essential part of our daily life, as everyone eats at least one meal a day and these range from fruits and vegetables to carbohydrates and proteins. A lot of times, the foods we eat give us symptoms like stomach pain, vomiting or high fever; most times they can just be mild discomforts, but they can also lead to rapid hospitalisation and even death. It is therefore crucial that the food we eat must be safe, wholesome and nutritious.

“According to the World Health Organization (WHO), foodborne diseases in 2015 was found to have made approximately 600 million people sick and caused 420,000 untimely deaths. Unsafe foods have also been shown to lead to yearly productivity losses of about US$95 billion in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

“Unsafe food practices abound across the country. These include unhealthy cultivation practices through the use of unapproved chemicals (such as calcium carbide in fruit and vegetable ripening) and fertilizers; poor food storage and processing facilities as seen in a number of abattoirs and along the roads; the use of disused tires and kerosene in roasting animals for human consumption; non-hygienic food preparation environments as seen in the way foods are prepared by the roadsides, gutters and near open faecal defecation areas among others. These can lead to diseases such as Typhoid, Cholera, Diarrhoea, Botulism, Listeriosis, Hepatitis A, and Cancer”, he stressed.

Abdullahi noted that, we are gathered here today to commemorate the first World Food Safety Day in accordance with the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), A/RES/73/250, of 20th of December 2018 that on June 7 of every year all member States, the organizations of the United Nations system and Civil Society Organisations (CSO) should observe the World Food Safety Day.

This declaration, according to UNGA, “(takes) into account that the global burden of foodborne diseases is considerable and affects individuals of all ages, in particular children under 5 years of age, (as well as) the urgent need to raise awareness (for safer food) at all levels.”

He stressed that, “The Federal Government has since 2015 initiated the process that will guarantee the safety of our food by launching the National Policy on Food Safety & Its Implementation Strategy and also inaugurating two committees consisting of representatives from the public, private and academic sectors.

“As a result of the implementation of this policy, the Food Safety stakeholders under the auspices of the National Food Safety management Committee (NFSMC) have to develop the National Food Safety & Quality Bill which was approved by the Federal Executive Council and it is currently at the National Assembly for passage into law. This Bill is expected to usher in a new era of food control in the country where all tiers of government and MDAs will work together alongside the Organised Private Sectors (OPS) to ensure the wholesomeness of our foods.

“Other efforts in the implementation of the policy have been ongoing with the support of development partners across the country in ensuring that the country meet the target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 and 3.

“In order to address food safety threats, the Federal Ministry of Health is working with the State Ministries of Health and Agriculture as well as the Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria to further strengthen the work of Environmental Health Officers across the states”, he noted.

In terms of regulation, the Permanent Secretary added that the Federal Minsitry of Health has empowered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to be able to undertake more effectively its mandate in the regulation of processed and packaged foods in the country. To achieve this, the Federal Executive Council has also approved that the Food Safety & Applied Nutrition Directorate of NAFDAC be expanded to ensure it becomes more efficient and effective to achieve its mandates.

He further stated that, drawing on experiences from across the globe, it is imperative that Nigeria institutes an effective and coherent National Food Safety Management System. To achieve this, we obviously have to make concerted effort towards investing more in food safety. In this wise: The Organised Private Sector needs to invest more in improving the food safety structures in the country. It may be important to point out here that foodborne diseathe Permanment se is not only a burden on our health but also on the productivity of our work force. In 2016, World Bank estimated that in Nigeria alone, the productivity loss from foodborne diseases was approximately $7 Billion USD; the most in Africa. This is in addition to loss of earnings in foreign exchange due to the ban of Nigerian foods in the international market because of unsafe application of chemicals; The Academia also needs to support the government in making informed research on current and emerging food safety issues. This will help in making science-based food control decisions as well as to develop strategies to mitigate the known risks; The Farmers and Food Business Operators need to make necessary efforts to seek professional advice in the use and application of food additives, agro feeds, agrochemicals, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Hygiene Practices (GHP); and the Average Nigerian need to demand safe foods at homes, cafeterias, restaurants and at various social events.

He however commended the support and cooperation of all relevant Federal and State MDAs, Organised Private Sector, Development Partners, Academia, the National Food Safety Management Committee (NFSMC), the press and other stakeholders in our quest to improve our food safety control system. I urge all of us to demonstrate the strength, courage, patriotic zeal, and empowerment to put in our best for the health of our people and nation.

Earlier, the Director, Food & Drug Services Department Pharm M. O. Lawal said , Today, is the maiden edition of the World Food Safety Day and it brings to the front burner the impact of unsafe foods and the need for us as a nation to do whatever it takes to improve our food safety practices in a way that will ensure the reduction in the burden of foodborne diseases in the country.

Over the past 20 years, Food Safety has become one of the major talking points in the health sector considering the negative and harmful effect of unsafe foods on children, immunocompromised as well as the elderly. In recent years, the country has been plagued with preventable foodborne disease outbreaks such as Cholera, Typhoid and Diarrhoea, most of which are under-reported. These diseases are generally the consequence of poor food safety and hygiene culture in our country.

Toyin Adebayo is dedicated professional with over a decade experience of covering news and current events.
My background lies in gathering and analyzing facts about newsworthy events through stories, features, interview, investigation, and observation. My reports have featured in many National Dailies and currently with INDEPENDENT Newspaper.
Toyin holds a BA Ed in English Education, a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalist, National Association of Women Journalist. Married with kids.